Decoration for christmas trees



July 7, 1953 J. WOOLVEN 2,644,260

' DECORATION FOR CHRISTMAS TREES Y Filed Sept. 3, 1949 hwy;-

Jobn lv- Woo/Men.

Patented July 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DECORATION FOR CHRISTMAS TREES John L. Woolven, St. Vital, Manitoba, Canada Application September 3, 1949, Serial No. 113,962

. 1 My invention relates to new and useful improvements in Christmas tree decorations and the like, an object of my invention being to provide a device of the character herewithin de-- 9 Claims. (CI. 41-41) vide a device of the character herewithin described which is readily adaptable to form a multi-dimensional star or many faceted globe having four, six, eight, twelve or twenty points or facets as will hereinafter be described.

A yet further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which, when assembled, is fully enclosed giving the appearance of a solid structure yet being of relatively light weight thereby making it particularly desirable for Christmas tree decorative purposes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which may be readily assembled merely by the actuation of a single draw-string.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is economical in manufacture, simple in construction, and otherwise well suited for the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in View, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of my device in the fully assembled position. v i

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of my device in the open position.

Fig. 3 is a view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of one end of my device showing an alternative drawstring arrangement.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of my device shown in the partially position.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The present invention relates to multi-dimensional decorations particularly suitable for use upon Christmas trees or in advertising display and uses as a basis of construction the configuration of a regular polyhedron.v The embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings shows folded, or assembled a twenty-sided polyhedron or icosahedron but it will be appreciated that the same principles explained herein are readily adaptable to dodecahedrons or octahedrons or any other regular polyhedron.

Proceeding now to describe my invention in detail it will be seen upon reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings that I have provided a base panel I manufactured of relatively thin card or similar material which has been scored with lines of weakness 2 and cutaround the outer boundaries 3 thereof to form the regular triangular serrations 4 asillustrated. These regular triangles I desire to define as facets 5, the lines of weakness 2 bordering same forming what I hereto I have stated that the altitudes of the.

pyramids are situated at right angles to the horiaontal plane of the facets.

Reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings will show that I have illustrated a base panel I having twenty regular triangles or facets which, when folded along the lines of weakness 2, can be formed into a regular twenty-sided polyhedron. To facilitate this folding and tomaintain the polyhedronv in the closed position as well as permitting same to be laid flat when desired I have provided a draw-string Id. The anchoring points ll of the draw-string, are secured adjacent the apexes E2 of the two outer facets specifically designated [3 at the right-hand end of the base panel I with reference to Fig. 2. The draw-string is then threaded successively through the apexes of the adjacent outer facets, apertures being formed therein for this purpose, until the facets specifically designated I 4 and situated at the leftthe lower outer corner of the right central facet specifically designated I8, a common knot l9 being formed upon the external portion of the draw-string In to prevent same from slipping back through the apertures.

In operation, the end 20 of the draw-string If! is pulled in the direction of the arrow 21 thus causing the draw-string to contract or fold inwardly the facets in a similar manner to clench-- ing the fist illustrated fragmentarily in Fig;

string la in which an elongated tab 22 is provided extending from the left central facet i1 and containing two apertures adjacent the extremities thereof through which the draw-string passes.

Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings illustrates apertured tabs 23 which may be provided adjacent the apexes 12 of the outer facets and which may be grommetted in order to prevent the material tea-ring during the folding operation.

These tabs "23 maybe hingedly secured to the undersurface 2d of the base panel by means of a linen or paper hinge or similar device.

Whenin the open position as shown in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, the pyramids 7 may be pressed together for storage and packaging purposes, the adjacent faces 25 thereof lying alongside one another thereby protecting the pyramids from damage and enabling the device to be packed in a relatively' small container.

- In conclusion I desire to state that the device hereinabove described can be used either as a polyhedron in which case the outer surfaces of the facets 5 may be coloured and highly polished thusforming, when folded, a twenty-sided sphere or alternatively, decorative features in the form of stars or pyramids as illustrated may be secured to the outer surfaces of the facets.

. Since various modifications can be made'in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A decoration for Christmas trees comprising in combination a plurality of facets con nected together to form a substantially planar, integraLarticulated base panel when in the open position and capable of being folded to form substantially a polyhedron, a draw-string secured to one ofisaid facets, said draw-string being threaded through at least the facets of said base panel adjacentthe outer boundary thereof when viewed in the open position, to fold and maintain said base panel to the said polyhedral configuration.

' v2. A decoration for Christmas trees comprising in combination a plurality of facets connected together to form. a substantially planar, integral,

articulated base panel when in the open position and capable of being folded to form substantially a polyhedron, a draw-string secured to one of said facets, said draw-string being threaded through at least the facets of said base panel adjacent the outer boundary thereof when viewed in the open position, to fold and maintain said base panel to the said polyhedral configuration and pyramids secured to said facets.

3. A decoration for Christmas trees comprising in combination a plurality of facets connected together to form a substantially planar, integral, articulated base panel when in the open position and capable of being folded to form substantially a polyhedron, a draw-string secured to one of said facets, said draw-string being threaded through at least the facets of said base panel adjacent the outer boundary thereof when viewed in the open position, to fold and maintain said base panel to the said polyhedral configuration and pyramids secured to said facets, the altitude of said pyramids being at right angles to the horizontal plane of the facets.

4. A decoration for Christmas trees comprising in combination a plurality of facets connected together to form a substantially planar, integral, articulated base panel when in the open position and capable of being folded to form substantially a polyhedron, a draw-string secured to one of said facets, said draw-string being threaded through the apexes of at least the facets of said base panel adjacent the outer boundary thereof when viewed in the open position, to. fold and maintain said base panel to the said polyhedral configuration.

5. A decoration for Christmas trees comprising in combination a plurality of facets connected together to form a substantially planar, integral base panel capable of being folded to form substantially a polyhedron,'hinged apertured tabs adjacent the apexes of the facets of said base panel adjacent the outer boundary thereof when viewed in the open position, a draw-string secured to one of said facets, said draw-string being threaded through said apertured tabs to fold and maintain said base panel to the said polyhedral configuration.

6. A decoration for Christmas trees comprising in combination a plurality of facets connected together to form a substantially planar, integral base panel capable'of being folded to form substantially a polyhedron, hinged apertured tabs adjacent the apexes of the facets of said base panel adjacent the outer boundary thereof when viewed in the open position, a draw-string secured to one of said facets, said draw-string being threaded through said apertured tabs to fold and maintain said base panel to the said polyhedral configuration and pyramids secured to said facets.

l. The decoration according to claim 4 which includes an apertured tab extending from the edge of said base panel at one end thereof, said draw-string passing through said tab after be.- ing threaded through said facets, and. then ex..- tending longitudinally along said base panel and through an apertured facet at the opposite end of said base panel,

8. The decoration according to claim 5 which includes an apertured tab extending from the edge of said base panel at one end thereof, said draw-string passing through said tab after. be.- ing threaded through said facets, and then extending longitudinally along said base panel and through an apertured facet at the opposite end of said base panel.

9. A decoration for Christmas trees comprising in combination a plurality of facets connected together to form a substantially planar, integral,

articulated base panel when in the open position and capable of being folded to form a regular polyhedron, hinged a-pertured tabs adjacent the apexes of the facets of said base panel adjacent the outer boundary thereof when viewed in the open position, an apertured tab extending from one end of said base panel, a draw-string secured to one of said facets, said draw-string being threaded through said tabs successively and then extending longitudinally along said base panel to be threaded through one of said facets at the opposite end of said base panel, to fold and maintain said base panel to the said regular polyhedral configuration, and pyramids secured to said facets. v

JOHN L. WOOLVEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,570,230 Chambers Jan, 19, 1926 1,620,640 Friedrich Mar. 15, 1927 238L860 Baggott Aug. 14, 1945 

